HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT MANUAL

November, 2018

Office of Auxiliary Services &

Sustainability / Environmental Health &

Safety 423.354.5224

Northeast State Community College

Introduction

Northeast State Community College is committed to excellence and leadership in protecting the environment. In

keeping with this policy, employees must implement steps to reduce waste and emissions. Northeast State Community

College strives to minimize any adverse impact on the air, water, and land through excellence in waste reduction. By

successfully reducing waste at its source, Northeast State Community College can achieve cost savings, increase

operational efficiencies, improve the quality of our products and services, and maintain a safe and healthy workplace

for our employees and students. Additionally, Northeast State Community College promotes environmentally sound

recycling, reuse, and management of all waste streams.

As both a responsible citizen and Northeast State employee, each individual is responsible for reducing waste, for fully

complying with all waste reduction programs established as well as applicable Federal and State laws dealing with

hazardous waste. Northeast State Community College’s primary objectives are:

Achieve a significant reduction in the generation of hazardous waste.

Work towards developing reliable means to measure hazardous waste reduction efforts.

Research and develop activities and programs with a focus on finding substitutes for hazardous waste used on

campus.

Maintain a safe and healthy work place for staff, faculty and students.

These objectives and goals cannot be reached without the cooperative effort of the staff and faculty through adherence

to these guidelines.

Purpose

The purpose of the Northeast State Community College Hazardous Waste Management Program is to protect the

college and community environment and to ensure that all chemicals generated are collected, stored, and disposed of in

a safe, proper, and cost effective manner.

Scope and Application

The Hazardous Waste Management Plan establishes the requirements to ensure that Northeast State Community

College hazardous wastes are properly managed. This plan describes the requirements relating to the identification,

management, labeling, and disposal and manifesting of hazardous waste. It also outlines applicable emergency

procedures, prevention, response requirements, training, and record keeping requirements.

The guidance that follows applies to all research, teaching, and/or support functions within Northeast State Community

College that either generate hazardous waste as a product of its function; or dispose of excess, old or unknown

hazardous chemicals found within the facilities owned or used by the college.

Regulatory Basis

The Northeast State Community College Waste Management Program is based on the 1976 Resource Conservation

and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Tennessee Hazardous Waste Reduction Act of 1990, and the Tennessee Hazardous

Waste Management Regulation (Tennessee Rule Chapter 0400-12-01).

Hazardous Waste Definition / Characteristics

Hazardous waste" means a hazardous waste as defined in Rule 0400-12-01-.02(1)(c).

Ignitability- Ignitable wastes can create fires under certain conditions, are spontaneously combustible, or have a

flash point less than 60 °C (140 °F). Examples include waste oils and used solvents

A solid waste exhibits the characteristic of ignitability if a representative sample of the waste has any of the

following properties:

It is a liquid, other than an aqueous solution containing less than 24 percent alcohol by volume and has

flash point less than 60 °C (140 °F), as determined by a Pensky-Martens Closed Cup Tester, using the

test method specified in ASTM Standard D 93-79 or D 93-80 (incorporated by reference, see

§ 260.11), or a Setaflash Closed Cup Tester, using the test method specified in ASTM Standard D

3278-78 (incorporated by reference, see § 260.11).

It is not a liquid and is capable, under standard temperature and pressure, of causing fire through friction, absorption of moisture or spontaneous chemical changes and, when ignited, burns so

vigorously and persistently that it creates a hazard.

It is an ignitable compressed gas.

A solid waste that exhibits the characteristic of ignitability has the EPA Hazardous Waste Number of D001.

Corrosivity – Corrosive wastes are acids or bases (pH less than or equal to 2, or greater than or equal to 12.5) that

are capable of corroding metal containers, such as storage tanks, drums, and barrels. Battery acid is an example. A

solid waste exhibits the characteristic of corrosivity if a representative sample of the waste has either of the

following properties:

It is aqueous and has a pH less than or equal to 2 or greater than or equal to 12.5, as determined by a

pH meter using Method 9040C in “Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, Physical/Chemical

Methods,” EPA Publication SW-846, as incorporated by reference in § 260.11 of this chapter.

It is a liquid and corrodes steel (SAE 1020) at a rate greater than 6.35 mm (0.250 inch) per year at a test temperature of 55 °C (130 °F) as determined by Method 1110A in “Test Methods for Evaluating

Solid Waste, Physical/Chemical Methods,” EPA Publication SW-846, and as incorporated by reference

in § 260.11 of this chapter.

A solid waste that exhibits the characteristic of corrosivity has the EPA Hazardous Waste Number of D002.

Reactivity – A solid waste that exhibits any of the following properties:

Normally unstable and readily undergoes violent changes without detonating.

Reacts violently with water.

Forms a potentially explosive mixture with water.

Generates toxic gases, vapors, or fumes in a quantity sufficient to present a danger to public health or the

environment when mixed with water.

Contains cyanide or sulfide bearing waste which, when exposed to pH conditions between 2 and 12.5, can

generate toxic gases, vapors, or fumes in a quantity sufficient to present a danger to public health or the

environment.

Capable of detonating or exploding when subjected to a strong initiating source or heated under

confinement.

Readily capable of detonating, exploding, or reacting at standard temperature and pressure.

A solid waste that exhibits the characteristic of reactivity has the EPA Hazardous Waste Number code of D003

Toxicity – Toxic wastes are harmful or fatal when ingested or absorbed (e.g., containing one of the four

characteristics-ignitability, corrosvity, reactivity, or toxicity.

A solid waste (except manufactured gas plant waste) exhibits the characteristic of toxicity if, using the

Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure, test Method 1311 in “Test Methods for Evaluating Solid

Waste, Physical/Chemical Methods,”

A solid waste that exhibits the characteristic of toxicity has the EPA Hazardous Waste Number

specified in Table 1 which corresponds to the toxic contaminant causing it to be hazardous.

Table 1 —Maximum Concentration of Contaminants for the Toxicity Characteristic

EPA HW No. 1

Contaminant CAS No.

2 Regulatory Level (mg/L)

D004 Arsenic 7440-38-2 5.0

D005 Barium 7440-39-3 100.0

D018 Benzene 71-43-2 0.5

D006 Cadmium 7440-43-9 1.0

D019 Carbon tetrachloride 56-23-5 0.5

D020 Chlordane 57-74-9 0.03

D021 Chlorobenzene 108-90-7 100.0

D022 Chloroform 67-66-3 6.0

D007 Chromium 7440-47-3 5.0

D023 o-Cresol 95-48-7 4 200.0

D024 m-Cresol 108-39-4 4 200.0

D025 p-Cresol 106-44-5 4 200.0

D026 Cresol 4 200.0

D016 2,4-D 94-75-7 10.0

D027 1,4-Dichlorobenzene 106-46-7 7.5

D028 1,2-Dichloroethane 107-06-2 0.5

D029 1,1-Dichloroethylene 75-35-4 0.7

D030 2,4-Dinitrotoluene 121-14-2 3

0.13

D012 Endrin 72-20-8 0.02

D031 Heptachlor (and its epoxide) 76-44-8 0.008

D032 Hexachlorobenzene 118-74-1 3

0.13

D033 Hexachlorobutadiene 87-68-3 0.5

D034 Hexachloroethane 67-72-1 3.0

D008 Lead 7439-92-1 5.0

D013 Lindane 58-89-9 0.4

D009 Mercury 7439-97-6 0.2

D014 Methoxychlor 72-43-5 10.0

D035 Methyl ethyl ketone 78-93-3 200.0

D036 Nitrobenzene 98-95-3 2.0

D037 Pentrachlorophenol 87-86-5 100.0

D038 Pyridine 110-86-1 3

5.0

D010 Selenium 7782-49-2 1.0

D011 Silver 7440-22-4 5.0

D039 Tetrachloroethylene 127-18-4 0.7

D015 Toxaphene 8001-35-2 0.5

D040 Trichloroethylene 79-01-6 0.5

D041 2,4,5-Trichlorophenol 95-95-4 400.0

D042 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol 88-06-2 2.0

D017 2,4,5-TP (Silvex) 93-72-1 1.0

D043 Vinyl chloride 75-01-4 0.2

Other-

A waste is also hazardous if the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) names it on one of the following three

lists developed:

Non-specific Source Wastes – These are generic wastes produced by manufacturing and industrial processes.

Specific Source Wastes – These are wastes from specifically identified industries.

Commercial Chemical Products – List consists of specific commercial chemical products or manufacturing

chemical intermediates.

Mixtures that contain both non hazardous and hazardous waste.

Academic Institutions as Hazardous Waste Generators

Until 1984, most academic institutions that generated hazardous wastes were exempt from many of the RCRA

requirements for generators because they generated less than 1,000 kg per month of hazardous waste. However,

when the limit was lowered to 100 kg per month for conditionally exempt small quantity generators, almost all

colleges and universities fell under the regulations established by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

(RCRA).

RCRA Enforcement

Generators share in the responsibilities for the safe management and ultimate disposal of all wastes. If the

transporter or disposal facility fails to take proper care of the waste or does not prevent the wastes from being

released into the environment, the generator can and have been held responsible.

EPA is authorized to seek civil and criminal penalties for RCRA violations. Educational institutions have not been

excluded. Several universities and colleges have been found guilty of RCRA violations and have had to pay

substantial penalties. Individuals guilty of RCRA violations can be personally brought to court and face mandatory

penalties, as well as possible imprisonment. One substantial penalty for violation of EPA Regulations is that the

institution may not receive Federal funds.

Due to these developments, universities and colleges must ensure that staff, faculty, and students are properly

trained concerning waste management practices.

Hazardous Waste Minimization

Northeast State Community College is committed to the protection of human health and the environment. To meet

these commitments, the College encourages everyone to utilize chemical waste minimization techniques to reduce

both the volume and toxicity of chemical wastes they produce. The following are some of the common waste

minimization techniques:

Purchasing – Purchase only the quantity of chemicals required for specific projects. Find the minimum amount

required for an experiment and order accordingly. Do not stockpile chemicals unnecessarily.

Product Substitution – Substitute non-hazardous or less toxic materials in chemical processes and experiments.

Some examples are:

Using water-based inks instead of solvent-based inks in printing operations.

Substituting detergents and enzymatic cleaners for sulfuric acid/potassium dichromate (chromerge)

cleaning solutions and ethanol/potassium hydroxide cleaning solutions.

Use “low or zero Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)” paints (ex: water base versus oil base).

Avoid using known carcinogens, mutagens, or extremely hazardous chemicals where possible.

Process Modification – Laboratories are encouraged to modify experimental or standard processes to decrease the

quantity of hazardous chemicals used and generated. Micro and semi-micro techniques should be used to reduce the

amount of waste generated.

Segregation and Characterization

Do not mix hazardous waste with non-hazardous waste..

Completely fill out all hazardous waste labels that are placed on containers.

Chemical Redistribution. Unopened or unused portions of chemicals may be redistributed within the Northeast

State Community College campus. If you have a chemical you no longer need, contact the Director of Auxiliary

Services & Sustainability.

Recycling. Northeast State Community College collects some precious metals and valuable chemicals for recycling

by outside contractors to reduce waste treatment costs. Some examples include:

Photo fixer is processed to reclaim silver.

Mercury is collected for redistillation.

Fuel grade solvents are reclaimed for use as an energy source or recycled.

Used motor or pump oil is collected and recycled.

Management. Audits need to be conducted with regard to chemical supplies on hand and use inventory control

procedures aimed at purchasing and maintaining the minimum amount of hazardous waste possible. Managers need

to substitute non-hazardous chemicals for hazardous chemicals whenever possible.

Training. Train employees in waste minimization concepts. Training should include an explanation of the

concepts described above and a discussion of how each department can implement specific waste minimization

measures.

Generator Guidelines

The President, Assistant Director of Environmental Health and Safety, administrators, staff and faculty share the

responsibility for implementing the procedures in this manual jointly.

The Director of Auxiliary Services & Sustainability is responsible for the overall management of all chemical

waste (hazardous and non-hazardous) generated by Northeast State. The Director of Auxiliary Services &

Sustainability will manage the collection, transportation and off-campus disposal of hazardous waste generated in

day to day operations, academic teaching, and research. Department supervisors, where hazardous waste is

generated, are responsible for the implementation of the hazardous waste program and must insure all staff under

their supervision is properly trained in the proper labeling, handling, collection and disposal of hazardous waste.

Assistance is required from the staff and faculty during both the generation and disposal phase of this process.

RCRA regulations require specific methods of collecting and storing the waste at the point of generation. The

Chemical Waste Handling Guidelines listed below states guidelines which need to be followed to keep Northeast

State in compliance with applicable federal and state law as well as assisting the Director of Auxiliary Services &

Sustainability in the safe handling and proper disposal of hazardous waste.

Department supervisors, staff and faculty who deal with hazardous waste must be familiar with the college’s overall

hazardous waste management program contained in this manual. Their duties include the following:

Give instruction on the safe methods and use of all items.

Implement the procedures contained in this manual for the well-being of the staff, faculty and students at

Northeast State.

Make systematic checks of the equipment and supplies to be sure they are in safe operational order and to

correct immediately any deficiencies noted.

Motivate students and peers to make safety a priority by implementing safe practices and encouraging

individuals to report any safety concerns.

Immediately correct, if possible, and report any issues relating to unsafe handling or storage of hazardous

waste to the Director of Auxiliary Services & Sustainability. Students should be instructed that all rules

and procedures are for their well-being and should carry these practices not only in school but at their

future job site. The students’ responsibilities under Northeast State’s program include the following:

Obeying all rules and observing all safety practices listed in this manual at all times.

Notifying the staff/faculty of any unsafe condition so corrective action can be taken.

Chemical Waste Handling Guidelines

All chemical waste must be in an appropriate sealed container, i.e., glass or plastic bottles with screw on caps. No

corks or ground glass stoppers should be used. The chemical waste must be stored in an appropriate container that

will not react with the waste.

Do not add experimental material to a waste container until it has gone through its complete reaction.

Waste containers must be kept closed except when waste is being added. This prevents hazardous vapors from

being released and reduces the amount of exposure to humans.

Proper labeling aids in the correct determination of the type of hazardous waste present, as well as the final disposal

method. Proper labels also provide vital information to emergency response personnel. Labels must be typed or

clearly printed using indelible ink (no pencils, markers, or cursive writing). Labels must be securely attached to

each container. Each label must contain a specific list of the chemical constituents and approximate percentage of

each (no generalizations i.e. acids, organics, or trade names, i.e., Clorox for sodium hypo chlorite).

Verify that correct spelling has been used on the labels. All wastes should be stored in a clearly designated,

appropriate, safe area in each lab.

Questions concerning the proper labeling, handling, or storage of chemical waste, should be addressed to the

Director of Auxiliary Services & Sustainability at (423)354-5224 or extension 5224.

Chromic Acid

The use of sodium or potassium dichromate dissolved in concentrated sulfuric acid as a cleaning solution presents

special handling and disposal problems. Chromic acid is a powerful oxidizing agent, and as such, has the potential

to explode on contact with certain oxidizable organic materials. In addition, it is both toxic and corrosive. Instances

of burns to both skin and clothing due to spillage of chromic acid cleaning solutions have occurred. Department

managers who work with hazardous waste should consider the following lists of alternate cleaning agents that have

been proven to be satisfactory as cleaners and significantly less toxic and hazardous.

Alconox (powder)

S/P Contract 70 (concentrated liquid)

S/P Laboratory Detergent Concentrate (powder)

Fisher brand Sparkleen (powder)

FL-70 Concentrate (concentrated liquid)

Liquinox Liquid Detergent

NoChromix

Isoclean (concentrated liquid)

Count-Off (concentrated liquid)

Lift Away Concentrated Decontaminant (liquid)

RBS 35 Concentrate (concentrated liquid)

Separation of Halogenated and Non-halogenated Wastes

Separated and well-defined wastes are easier and less expensive to dispose of than mixed and unknown wastes.

Since high volume of halogens (Chlorine, Bromine, Iodine, and Fluoride) in the organic solvents cannot be properly

destroyed in most incinerators, several disposal agencies are not approved by EPA to handle these wastes.

Therefore, it is essential to indicate the composition of all waste liquids and, if a mixture, the approximate

percentage by volume of each constituent. The percentage composition must be clearly indicated on the “Hazardous

Waste Tag.” Departments should attempt to keep the halogen content of their organic solvents below 1.0% by

volume.

The following provide guidelines for placing waste in the differing waste solvent containers:

Acceptable as non-halogenated waste solvents

Non-halogenated organic solvents

Solutes containing small amounts of halogens

Halogenated solvents that should be in separate containers

Halogenated organic solvents

Solvent mixtures with more than 1% halogenated solvent by volume

Organic solvents with large amounts of halogenated solute

Substances that should not be put in containers with organic solvents

Solutions of acids or bases

Aqueous solutions of toxic organic chemicals

Metallic compounds containing Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb.

Sulfides or inorganic cyanides

Strong oxidizers or reducers

Water reactive substances

Large amounts of water

Hazardous Waste Manifesting and Turn-in

Each container of hazardous waste must have a hazardous waste tag completely filled out and securely attached to

the container. When the waste is ready to be picked up, contact the Director of Auxiliary Services & Sustainability

in writing or through the campus e-mail system. The request must list the hazardous waste to be picked up by

chemical name and the estimated amount in pounds.

“Empty” Waste Containers (40 CFR 261.7)

A container or an inner liner removed from a container that has held any hazardous wastes, except a compressed gas

or an acute hazardous waste, is empty if all wastes have been removed that can be removed using the practices

commonly used to remove materials from that type of container (i.e., pouring or pumping) and the following

conditions are met:

No more than 1” of residue remains on the bottom of the container.

No more than 3% by weight of the total capacity of the container remains in the container if the container is

less than or equal to 119 gallons in size.

No more than 0.3 % by weight of the total capacity of the container remains in the container if the container

is greater than 119 gallons in size.

A container that has held a hazardous compressed gas is empty when the pressure in the container approaches

atmospheric conditions.

A container or inner liner that has held an acute hazardous waste is empty if the container or inner liner has been

triple-rinsed using a solvent capable of removing the chemical product or if the container has been cleaned by

another method that has been shown in the scientific literature, or by tests conducted by the generator, to achieve

equal removal.

Non-hazardous Waste Disposal

The following list comprises water-soluble compounds of low-toxic hazard cautions and low-toxic hazard anions.

Compounds of any of these ions that are strongly acidic or basic should be neutralized before disposal down the

drain.

Examples of non-hazardous waste are listed below. These chemicals were selected because they

have oral-rat LD50 toxicity values higher than 500 mg/kg, and have no positive determination for carcinogenicity

according to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 1979 Registry of Toxic Effects of

Chemical Substances.

List of Solid Non-hazardous Waste

Acid, Ascorbic Calcium Sulphate

Acid, Benzoic Cobalt Oxide

Acid, Boric Copper Oxide

Acid, Casamino Crystal Violet

Acid, Citric Dextrose

Acid, Oleic Drierite

Acid, Lactic Extract, Malt

Acid, Phosphotungstic Extract, Yeast

Acid, Phthalic Ferrous Ammonium Sulphate

Acid, Salicylic Galactose

Acid, Silicic Gelatin

Acid, Stearic Graphite

Acid, Succinic Gum, Arabic Acid, Tartaric Gum, Guaic

Agar Hematoxylin

Albumen Iron Oxide

Aluminum Hydroxide Kaolin

Aluminum Metal Lactose

Aluminum Oxide Lithium Carbonate Amino Acids (naturally occurring) Lithium Chloride

Ammonium Bicarbonate Lithium Sulphate

Ammonium Carbonate Magnesium Borate

Ammonium Chloride Magnesium Carbonate

Ammonium Citrate Magnesium Chloride

Ammonium Lactate Magnesium Phosphate Ammonium Phosphate Magnesium Oxide

Ammonium Sulfate Magnesium Sulphate

Ammonium Sulphamate Maltose

Barium Carbonate Manganese

Barium Sulphate Manganese Acetate

Brain Heart Infusion Manganese Chloride

Brom Phenol Blue Manganese Dioxide

Magnesium Citrate Manganese Oxide

Magnesium Lactate Methyl Red

Magnesium Oxide Methyl Salicylate

Broth, Nutrient Methylene Blue

Calcium Borate Paraffin

Calcium Carbonate Pepsin

Calcium Chloride Peptone Calcium Citrate Petroleum Jelly

Calcium Lactate Potassium Acetate

Calcium Phosphate Potassium Bicarbonate

Potassium Bisulphate Tryptone

Potassium Bitartrate Urea

Potassium Borate Wax, Bee’s

Potassium Bromate Zinc Oxide

Potassium Bromide

Potassium Carbonate

Potassium Citrate

Potassium Chloride

Potassium Iodide

Potassium Lactate

Potassium Phosphate

Potassium Sodium Tartrate

Potassium Sulphate

Potassium Sulphite

Potassium Sulphocyanate

Pumice

Sodium Acetate

Sodium Ammonium Phosphate

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Bicarbonate

Sodium Bisulphate

Sodium Bisulphite

Sodium Borate

Sodium Bromide

Sodium Carbonate

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Citrate

SDS (Sodium DodecylSulfate)

Sodium Formate

Sodium Iodide

Sodium Lactate

Sodium Phosphate

Sodium Salicylate

Sodium Silicate

Sodium Succinate

Sodium Sulphate

Sodium Thioglycollate

Sodium Thiosulphate

Sodium Tungstate

Starch

Strontium Carbonate

Strontium Phosphate

Strontium Sulfate

Sulphur

Sugars

Sucrose

Talcum Powder

Thymol

Tin Metal

Tin Oxide

Trypticase

Disposal of Infectious Waste

Contaminated or used sharps must be separated into a separate category. The packaging of infectious waste must be

puncture resistant, tear-resistant and distinctively red/orange colored containers with a universal biohazard label.

This type of waste should not be compacted prior to treatment. Users of sharps should insure the container is

emptied prior to becoming full. Contact the Division Chair, Health Related Professions or the Director of Auxiliary

Services & Sustainability for disposal.

Storage

Only store sharps in an authorized container.

Minimize storage time.

Limit access to the storage area.

Universal biological hazard signs should be posted on storage area doors, containers, etc.

Planning For Chemical Spill Emergencies

1. Two people in lab or service areas will act as on-site emergency coordinators and back-up emergency coordinators. These people should know what hazards exist in your area and how to implement this spill

response plan (contingency plan) for the area. They will act as advisors to police, fire department, and

safety personnel.

2. Train employees in chemical spill procedures when they are first hired and yearly thereafter. Document the

training and have employee and supervisor sign the documentation form to certify that the training was

given.

3. Purchase spill cleanup material and personal protective equipment, if needed (respirators, chemical

resistant suits and gloves, safety goggles, etc. Note: Make sure all personnel protective equipment meets

the standards established by OSHA. Know what the limitations of the personal protective equipment are.

If you have any questions about the personal protective equipment, contact the director of Police and

Safety.

Hazardous Chemical Spill Cleanup Guidelines

Chemical spill or hazardous materials emergency situations should be handled as a fire emergency. Initial response

in a fire situation can be summarized as RESCUE, CONFINE, REPORT, SECURE, and CLEANUP (FIGHT FIRE).

These principals can also be applied to a hazardous materials spill situation.

Rescue

Just as you are not to re-enter a burning building, do NOT go back into an area where a chemical spill has occurred

unless you have the proper equipment and training. In many documented cases, rescuers not wearing proper

protective equipment have been overcome by toxic or asphyxiating gases trying to rescue other victims and died as a

result. Do not make this mistake.

As you leave an area involved in a chemical spill, assist people exiting the area.

Evacuate personnel from the spill area.

Direct personnel to nearest fire exit.

Alert neighbors.

Attend to the victims.

First Aid

General

Remove victim from spill area to fresh air (but do not endanger your own life by entering areas with toxic gases).

Immediately remove contaminated clothing.

Wash skin with soap and water.

Flush skin and/or eyes with water for at least 15 minutes (You may not feel any immediate effect from

chemical spills, but it is very important to wash quickly and thoroughly as many chemicals can cause

severe tissue damage which is not apparent until h ours later).

Get medical attention for victims.

Chemical spills over large body area

Remove contaminated clothing while under the shower.

Flood affected body area in cool water for at least fifteen minutes.

Resume wash water if pain returns.

Wash off chemicals with mild detergent and water; do not use neutralizing chemicals, unguents, creams,

lotions or salves.

Get medical attention for the victim.

Notify medical personnel exactly what chemicals are involved.

Victims of Bromine spills

Flush with cold water; apply compress saturated with dilute sodium or potassium thiosulfate.

Get immediate medical help.

Victims of Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) spills

Flush with cool water until any whitening of tissue disappears.

Swath injured areas with soaking wet, iced cloths.

Get immediate medical help.

Confine

Close fire doors.

Isolate area.

Establish exhaust ventilation, if possible.

Vent fumes or vapors only to outside of the building.

Open windows, if possible, without exposing yourself to fumes or vapors.

If fumes or vapors are in room, which is not vented to outside of building, close off room.

Report

Call 911 and the office of Police and Safety (extension 3255) for the following:

Spills that involve injury requiring medical treatment.

Spills that involve fire or explosion hazards.

Spills that are potentially life threatening.

Call the office of Police and Safety for

Chemical spill situations that do not require emergency medical assistance.

Spills of one gallon of a chemical or more, or any quantity of a highly reactive or toxic material.

Spills of an unknown chemical.

Spills for which you have any questions or doubts about your ability to clean up the spill.

Secure

Until Emergency Responders arrive on the scene, you and your staff will have to block off entrances to the spill site and prevent people from entering the contaminated area.

Lock doors leading to the chemical spill and post signs on doors warning of the spill.

Tape or rope off stairwells and elevators leading to the spill and hang signs on the tape.

When chemical fumes are being spread through a building’s air handling system, call the Physical Plant to

have the ventilation system shut off.

Post staff by commonly used entrances to the spill site so they can warn people to use other routes.

For large outdoor spills, keep people upwind from the site.

Cleanup

Based on the chemical spill situations, decide who will do the cleanup. If you are going to do the cleanup, follow

the procedures listed in the “What to Do When You Clean up a Chemical Spill” section below.

Who Cleans Up A Chemical Spill

The following guidelines are offered to help you decide if you should clean up a chemical spill.

You Clean Up The Spill

For chemical spills that do not involve injury, do not represent a fire hazard, are less than one gallon, and for which

you have the proper training and proper protective equipment to do the cleanup, you clean up the spill.

Emergency Responders Clean Up The Spill

For all other chemical spill situations, including those for which you have any questions or doubts about your ability

to clean up the spill, call the office of Police and Safety at extension 3255. Report all injuries, fires, explosions, and

potentially life threatening situations first to 911 and then the office of Police and Safety.

What to Do When You Clean Up a Chemical Spill

If you have the proper training, proper personal protective equipment and the proper material to absorb and clean up

your chemical spill, and no one has been injured, the spill is contained, and the spill is not life threatening or a fire or

explosion hazard, then follow these procedures:

Locate the spill kit.

Choose appropriate personal protection.

Remove ignition sources

Turn off hot plates, stirring motors, flame sources.

Shut down all equipment.

If unable to shut off sources of ignition, notify 9-1-1.

Confine or contain the spill.

Cover with an absorbent mixture.

Clean up minor spills with paper towels or sponge if they won’t react.

Sweep solid materials into a dustpan, place in sealed container.

If acid base, first add a neutralizing agent; sodium bicarbonate for acids, sodium bisulfate for

bases.

For small amounts of inorganic acids/bases, use neutralizing agent and absorbent material.

For small amounts of other materials, absorb with non-reactive material (e.g. vermiculite, sand, towels,

Floor-Dri).

For large amounts of inorganic acids/bases, neutralize and call 9-1-1.

For large amounts of other materials, make a judgment call: depending on the amount, toxicity or what the

substance can run into or react with, you may handle it yourself or call for help.

The following spills require special handling:

Acid Chlorides

Use Oil-Dri, Zorb-all or dry sand

Avoid water, avoid sodium bicarbonate

Mercury

Small spills – open window, if possible, and ventilate area while cleaning

Use aspirator bulb or suction device (available from Edmund Scientific and Markson Scientific)

Alkali Metal (e.g. Sodium or Potassium Metals)

Smother with dry sand

Put in hood

If possible, dispose of by reaction with isopropyl alcohol

White (Yellow) Phosphorus

Blanket with wet sand or wet absorbent

Remove absorbent material with a broom and dustpan.

Place in plastic bag or other appropriate container.

If the spilled chemical is a volatile solvent, transfer plastic bag to fume hood for evaporation of

solvent.

After evaporation, discard with other non-hazardous solid wastes.

If spilled material is a non-volatile, hazardous chemical, dispose as a hazardous chemical waste.

Appendix A

Waste Streams

Northeast State Community College has the following active Waste Streams:

Waste Stream 3

Labpack Chemicals

How generated: Chemicals used in various chemistry, biology and physic lab experiments.

Waste reduction measures: Neutralize chemicals if possible. Substitute non-hazardous chemicals for hazardous

chemicals whenever feasible.

Waste Stream 5

Paints and Thinners

How generated: Paints and Thinners used primarily by Plant Operations.

Waste reduction measures: Substitute paints and thinners, which contain non-hazardous waste.

Waste Stream 6

Monoethanolamine

How generated: Cleaning automotive parts.

Waste reduction measures: Implement teaching methods to reduce the amount generated.

Waste Stream 7

Aqueous Brake Solution

How generated: Cleaning automotive parts.

Waste reduction methods: Implement teaching methods to reduce the amount of waste generated.

Appendix B

Glossary

Container – Any portable device in which a material is stored, transported, treated, disposed of, or otherwise

handled.

Department – The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (formerly the Tennessee Department

of Health and Environment).

Designated Facility – A hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facility, which has been designated on the

manifest by the generator. The facility must have interim status or have received a permit from the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) or be similarly authorized/regulated under the laws and regulations of the State of

Tennessee.

Discharge/Hazardous Waste Discharge – The accidental or intentional spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring,

emitting, emptying, or dumping of hazardous waste into or on any land or water.

Disposal – The discharge, deposit, injection, dumping, spilling, leaking, or placing of any hazardous waste into or

on any land, water, or air so that such hazardous waste or any constituent thereof may enter the environment or be

emitted into the air or discharged into any waters including ground waters.

Disposal facility – A facility or part of a facility at which hazardous waste is intentionally placed into or on any land

or water, and at which waste will remain after closure.

Environmental Protection Agency – The federal agency responsible for enforcement of policies and procedures

governing the generation, handling, and disposal of hazardous waste.

Generation – The act or process of producing hazardous waste.

Generator – Any person, by site, whose act or process produces a hazardous waste or whose act first causes a

hazardous waste to become subject to regulation.

Hazardous Waste – A hazardous waste as defined by the definition of beginning on page 1 of this manual.

Manifest – The shipping document originated and signed by the generator, which contains the information required.

Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator – Generates less than 220 pounds in any month or does not

accumulate more than 2,200 pounds of hazardous waste onsite before shipping offsite.

Small Quantity Generator – Generates more than 220 pounds but less than 2,200 pounds in any given month.

Large Quantity Generator – Generates more than 2,200 pounds of hazardous waste in any given month.